The Hedge Fund Fortress Top?
,----[ Quote ]
| In a note to subscribers Thursday, I explained why big cap tech was
| looking so risky, and why Microsoft was potentially ugly. Friday,
| Cantor's Peter Bookvar noted that Microsoft was down 7 days in a
| row and down 9 of 10 trading days on nervousness that Vista sales
| are sluggish - but let's not forget MS Office, or the iPod
| killer, Zune . . .
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/070211/26665_id.html?.v=1
Zune? Office? Do they even sell? Judging by the stories listed below, their
appeal to customers is on par with that of Vista (AKA "Ow").
Related:
Microsoft says Zune executive will leave company
,----[ Quote ]
| Bryan Lee, corporate vice president at Microsoft's entertainment
| and devices division, also played a key role in shaping the Xbox
| game console business and the introduction of its Internet
| Protocol television software.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6155200.html
Static Problems Causes the Zune to Shutdown
,----[ Quote ]
| A growing number of Zune owners are reporting static problems
| with their Zune. For no visible reason, the Zune will shutdown
| and do a hard reboot (the Zune logo appears on your screen).
`----
http://www.cliczune.com/2007/02/static_problems.html
Microsoft using early Vista users as guinea pigs?
,----[ Quote ]
| Interesting to read in the International Herald Tribune this week
| about Microsoft hitting a 'crisis of confidence' with its new Vista
| operating system.
|
| [...]
|
| Sounds familiar? Your bet - it's almost an exact re-run of the
| security issues that affected Windows XP in its earliest days.
|
| Microsoft wouldn't be using its Vista users - as it did with XP -
| as guinea pigs, now would it?...
`----
http://securityblog.itproportal.com/?p=646
Microsoft (Sort of) Details Zune Flaw
,----[ Quote ]
| Though Microsoft had admitted that its Zune player would be unable
| to share certain songs wirelessly before the device shipped in
| November 2006, this week the software maker provided a few more
| details about this flaw.
`----
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/ArticleID/94934/94934.html
Zune Customer Support: Music skips if battery is not charged fully.
,----[ Quote ]
| In my first customer support call, the rep from Microsoft informs me that
| if the Zune does not have a "full charge" on the battery, then the data
| may skip.
`----
http://digg.com/gadgets/Zune_Customer_Support_Music_skips_if_battery_is_not_charged_fully
Zune screens cracking from battery pressure?
,----[ Quote ]
| Our tipster's friend conjectures that the lithium ion battery --
| which resides right behind the top half of the Zune's screen --
| is expanding from overheating and putting too much pressure on
| the screen, causing it to crack. Unfortunately, Microsoft
| currently regards the issue as outside warranty coverage,
| leaving the victims with a broken Zune and nowhere to turn.
`----
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/31/zune-screens-cracking-from-battery-pressure/
A Zune Phone? Hah, What a Joke!
,----[ Quote ]
| You see, I find this to be quite amusing. Here Microsoft is reportedly
| in the beginning stages of creating their own version of a Zunes
| martphone, but it's already being speculated that Windows Mobile won't
| make an appearance even though it already contains the functions that
| a smartphone would need. I get the fact that a Zune phone will
| probably be targeted to an audience that doesn?t necessarily want
| to get caught up in all of the nitty gritty functions of a
| smartphone, but if Microsoft doesn?t use its own mobile operating
| system on its own mobile device, then how are we supposed to take
| Windows Mobile seriously?
`----
http://www.cooltechzone.com/Departments/Columns/A_Zune_Phone?_Hah%2C_What_a_Joke!_200702072802/
Zune misses top-10 list of holiday devices sold
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corp.'s Zune player was not among the top-10 list of
| digital audio devices sold over the winter holidays in the U.S.,
| with Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod remaining champion of that market,
| according to research analyst firm Current Analysis Inc.
`----
http://www.itworld.com/Tech/5051/070105zune/index.html
Universal and Sony prohibit Zune sharing for certain artists
,----[ Quote ]
| It's official: record companies don't like you. After all that griping
| about signing up for the Zune music store -- and keep in mind that
| these record companies receive monies for selling songs here -- that
| resulted in Universal Music Group getting some sort of fat royalty
| check from Microsoft for Zune sales, not to mention whatever
| negotiations went on behind closed doors to come up with that
| ridiculously minimal "three days or three plays" sharing scheme, a
| couple of labels have once again gone out of their way to make
| life hard on you.
`----
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/19/universal-and-sony-prohibit-zune-sharing-for-certain-artists/
A Legitimate Reason to Hate the Zune (And Microsoft Too)
,----[ Quote ]
| Here's the situation: Microsoft has agreed to pay a portion of
| the profits from the sales of the Zune to a record company
| (Universal) because the Zune will undoubtedly be used to
| store unpurchased songs.
|
| [...]
|
| Here it is important to remember a few simple things. The
| money goes to the Universal, not to the artists.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft's move sets a bad precedent and turns all consumers into
| thieves without evidence.
`----
http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/a-legitimate-reason-to-hate-the-zune-and-microsoft-too/
Universal to seek money for each iPod sold
,----[ Quote ]
| "It would be a nice idea. We have a negotiation coming up not too
| far. I don't see why we wouldn't do that... but maybe not in the
| same way," Morris said. His "same way" comment is a reference tot
| he Zune, which Universal already gets $1 from after signing a deal
| with Microsoft.
`----
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061128-8309.html
Jobs: Apple Not Worried About Zune
,----[ Quote ]
| In a question-and-answer session with Newsweek, Apple CEO Steve
| Jobs slammed Microsoft's Zune music player, saying he was not
| impressed with the Redmond company's entrant. Jobs said the music
| sharing abilities of the player were too complicated and slow.
`----
http://www.betanews.com/article/Jobs_Apple_Not_Worried_About_Zune/1161013839
Microsoft might be too little, too late
,----[ Quote ]
| Apple, though, learned from its mistakes and made the iPod work
| with Microsoft Windows-based PCs -- a move that arguably spurred iPod
| sales and created a situation in which Apple's iPod now claims about
| 75 percent of the U.S. market for digital-media players. More
| importantly, this has led to a perception among consumers that if you
| don't own an iPod, you're using something that's second best.
|
| It's that environment and perception issue that will prove to be the
| biggest hurdles for Microsoft to overcome, if it wants to make any
| impression among consumers who are in the market for portable music-
| and video-playing gadgets.
`----
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060917/BUSINESS/609170330/1092
10 Ways Microsoft Can Salvage their iPod Killer
,----[ Quote ]
| Dear Microsoft:
|
| I can't help but noticing that this latest iPod killer situation is
| unfolding along the same lines as Origami. It's not too late to call the
| whole thing a 'market research experiment,' or to rebrand all your
| products under a new name to distract attention away from this
| boondoggle: Active-, Direct-, -.net, -Live!... how about -Kaboom! ?
`----
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Home/37A4A383-9B55-4692-8A96-B1A44DAC0941.html
Zune: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
,----[ Quote ]
| The fact is, this meager offering here is not an iPod killer. Nothing
| Redmond can produce in this product line will make much of a dent in
| Apple's lead. This shareholder only hopes Microsoft can avoid
| embarrassing itself too much.
`----
http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2006/commentary06091517.htm?source=eptyholnk303100&logvisit=y&npu=y
Microsoft's Zune Won't Play Protected Windows Media
,----[ Quote ]
| In yesterday's announcement of the new Zune media player and Zune
| Marketplace, Microsoft (and many press reports) glossed over a
| remarkable misfeature that should demonstrate once and for all how DRM
| and the DMCA harm legitimate customers.
|
| Microsoft's Zune will not play protected Windows Media Audio and Video
| purchased or "rented" from Napster 2.0, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Unlimited,
| Movielink, Cinemanow, or any other online media service. That's right --
| the media that Microsoft promised would Play For Sure doesn't even play
| on Microsoft's own device. Buried in footnote 4 of its press release,
| Microsoft clearly states that "Zune software can import audio files in
| unprotected WMA, MP3, AAC; photos in JPEG; and videos in WMV, MPEG-4,
| H.264" -- protected WMA and WMV (not to mention iTunes DRMed AAC) are
| conspicuously absent.
|
| This is a stark example of DRM under the DMCA giving customers a raw
| deal. Buying DRMed media means you're locked into the limited array of
| devices that vendors say you can use. You have to rebuy your preexisting
| DRMed media collection if you want to use it on the Zune. And you'll have
| to do that over and over again whenever a new, incompatible device with
| innovative features blows existing players out of the water. Access to
| MP3s and non-DRMed formats creates the only bridge between these isolated
| islands of limited devices.
`----
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/cmusings/2006/09/15#a2498
Muted welcome for Microsoft Zune
,----[ Quote ]
| As part of the Zune launch Microsoft flew some influential music bloggers
| to Seattle for a preview of the player and the service.
`----
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5348674.stm
New Zune Software Eerily Similar to Democracy Player...
,----[ Quote ]
| Take a look at the new Zune player software. Notice anything strange?
| It's the fact that the interface is a blatant ripoff of the open
| source Democracy player. Microsoft once again has to take other
| companies ideas and turn them into their own. Almost the same basic
| scenario of Mircosoft ripping off the iPod with Zune.
`----
http://yourdailydose.wordpress.com/2006/09/15/new-zune-software-eerily-similar-to-democracy-player/
Could Zune face patent trouble right out of the box?
,----[ Quote ]
| I've speculated that Zune's music sharing features could see a rocky
| road legally, or be so restricted as to make sharing irrelevant as a
| selling point for the fledgling device. It's really tough to put out a
| product these days without stepping on someone's patent, and Zune is
| no exception to that rule of 21st century business.
`----
http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/09/08/could-zune-face-patent-trouble-right-out-of-the-box/
http://tinyurl.com/h33np
,----[ Quote ]
| "It's not going to happen with the Zune, it's going to be a closed
| architecture. You'll not be able to load tracks directly form online.
| You might be able to -- stream them from another device, but then who
| cares? I think it's going to be an utter disaster and failure."
`----
http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=18352&hed=Linspire+Founder+on+Linux%2C+iPod%2C+Zune
Vole redesigns our Office space
,----[ Quote ]
| It's hard to define, but the new office suite feels good and is
| comfortable to use. That said if your requirements don't stretch
| beyond the normal usage of the odd letter, a spreadsheet to
| balance your budget and some email then there isn't a lot to
| recommend forking over cash for Office 2007, when there are
| several free options out there are increasingly attractive
| and compatible with Office documents.
|
| The Good
| Ribbon interface quite intuitive
| Interface is attractive and easy to use
|
| The Bad
| Quite expensive
| Free applications available that can perform the same tasks
| No major improvements over previous versions
|
| The Ugly
| Too many components seem solely designed to leverage synergies or something
| No option to revert to old interface
`----
http://uk.theinquirer.net/?article=37376
Bold Redesign Improves Office 2007 But Learning Curve May Be Too Steep for
Some Users
,----[ Quote ]
| "it requires a steep learning curve that many people might rather avoid.
| In my own tests, I was cursing the program for weeks"
`---- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB116786111022966326-T8UUTIl2b10DaW11usf4NasZTYI_20080103.html
Office 2007 may be Microsoft's Titanic: former Government IT boss
,----[ Quote ]
| Bill Gates has been talking up Office 2007 ahead of its business launch
| on November 30. However, the recently departed deputy CIO of one of
| Australia's biggest government Microsoft sites believes introducing
| the new version of Microsoft Office may be the company's biggest
| ^^^^^^^
| ever disaster.
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
`----
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/7234/53/
Question: why do I need to upgrade to Office 2007?
,----[ Quote ]
| Much has been said and written about Microsoft's "bold", "gutsy",
| and "innovative" initiative of releasing Office 2007, an office
| productivity suite with a totally new user interface. However, the
| question that is bound to be on the lips of every user will be: "why
| do I need to upgrade?" Microsoft doesn't really have a good answer.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft, however, claims to have come up with something better
| and more intuitive - the Ribbon. Such a claim begs the question:
| "If the new user interface of Office 2007 is so intuitive, why does
| it have a learning curve?" And it does have a learning curve - a
| very steep learning curve.
`----
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/8561/1023/
Office 2007: From bloated to sleek
,----[ Quote ]
| Life has a funny symmetry, don't you think? When you're born, you're
| short, toothless and bald. You spend the first part of your life
| gaining height, teeth and hair--and the last part losing them again.
| Believe it or not, Microsoft Office is following the same trajectory.
`----
http://news.com.com/2100-1012_3-6151153.html
What Happens When Microsoft Cannot Tell The Difference Between Their
Products and Open Source Products...
,----[ Quote ]
| What happens when Microsoft cannot tell the difference between
| their products and Open Source products?
|
| You get blogs like this from a Microsoft "Expert" Employee.
`----
http://www.novell.com/coolblogs/?p=726n
OpenOffice.org Training for Local Self-government Units in Macedonia
,----[ Quote ]
| About 100 employees in 25 Macedonian municipalities will be trained
| during the six day training.
`----
http://www.metamorphosis.org.mk/content/view/825/4/lang,en/
(Macedonia) Announcement: Citizens Have the Right to Choose
,----[ Quote ]
| Considering that the computer literacy trainings for the general
| population announced by the Government of Republic of Macedonia
| are in general a positive move for development of information
| society, the Metamorphosis Foundation and the NGO Free Software
| Macedonia encourage the Government to provide right to choose for
| the citizens, by offering trainings for use of free and open
| source (FOSS) also.
|
| [...]
|
| Macedonian citizens continue to show great interest in FOSS use.
| The latest example is the support they collectively provided by
| partially covering the expenses for publishing the CD "Get Your
| Job Done," distributed in 5.000 copies.
`----
http://www.metamorphosis.org.mk/content/view/818/1/lang,en/
Is Imitation The Sincerest Form of Flattery?
,----[ Quote ]
| As many as 8 of the top 10 benefits of Microsoft Office 2007
| provide capabilities that have already been addressed by Corel
| WordPerfect Office X3. Some "new" features of Microsoft Office
| 2007 have even been part of Corel WordPerfect Office for
| close to a decade!
`----
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Content_C1&cid=1166553933785&lc=en&pagename=CorelCom%2FLayout&trkid=wpe0107ft
http://tinyurl.com/2key74
|
|
